Unmet Mental Health Needs of Jailed Parents With Young Children

Objective Mental health symptoms in jailed parents with young children were examined in relation to gender, race, trauma, parenting stress, and supports. Background Most U.S. incarceration occurs in jails, which are notorious for high rates of mental illness. Jail incarceration is a significant stre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Family relations 2021-02, Vol.70 (1), p.130-145
Main Authors: Milavetz, Zoe, Pritzl, Kaitlyn, Muentner, Luke, Poehlmann‐Tynan, Julie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aggression
Alcohol
Analysis
Anxiety
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Child abuse & neglect
Child Rearing
Childhood
Childrearing practices
Children
Children & youth
Convictions
Correctional Institutions
Criminal sentences
Criminals
depression
Depression (Psychology)
Depression, Mental
Disproportionate Representation
Drug abuse
Drug Use
Families & family life
Family
Family Involvement
Family Relationship
Family support
Fathers
Females
Gender
Gender relations
Hallucinations
Health behavior
Health needs
Health problems
Health status
Hyperactivity
Imprisonment
incarcerated parents
Influence
jail
Jails
Least Squares Statistics
Males
Maternal depression
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Mental Health
Mental health care
Mental health services
Mothers
Multivariate analysis
Narcotics
Parental stress
Parenting
parenting stress
Parents
Parents & parenting
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Prisoners
Prisons
Psychiatric services
Psychological aspects
Race
Race relations
Risk factors
Self destructive behavior
Self injury
Statistical Analysis
Stress
Stress (Psychology)
Substance abuse
Symptoms
Trauma
trauma‐informed services
Variance analysis
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Summary:Objective Mental health symptoms in jailed parents with young children were examined in relation to gender, race, trauma, parenting stress, and supports. Background Most U.S. incarceration occurs in jails, which are notorious for high rates of mental illness. Jail incarceration is a significant stressor for families because most incarcerated individuals are parents. Method The sample included 165 jailed parents with children (aged 2–6 years) who completed an interview and questionnaires. Relative risk analyses determined symptom severity, and multivariate analysis of variance tested differences in White and non‐White mothers and fathers. Ordinary least squares regression examined predictors of mental health symptoms. Results Depression and thought problems (hallucinations, strange thoughts, self‐harm) were the most common problems. Jailed mothers reported more depression, anxiety, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and drug abuse than fathers. Childhood physical abuse and parenting stress were associated with more symptoms, whereas family support related to fewer symptoms. Conclusion Jailed parents experienced 3 to 5 times the odds of symptoms compared with norms, with a high rate of comorbidities relative to the low proportion of parents who received any mental health treatment. Implications Mental health interventions for jailed parents are needed, especially gender‐responsive, trauma‐informed services that decrease parenting stress and foster positive family connections.
ISSN:0197-6664
1741-3729
0197-6664
DOI:10.1111/fare.12525